Because He holds fast to me in love..

In our little community, it seems that so many are facing immense difficulties at this present time.  A friend was reading this Psalm out to a few of us and I remembered God's goodness -- I jotted a poem down the other night in desperation and frustration of circumstance, in hope of recalibrating myself towards His grace, "His Sovereign Joy",  as Athanasius called it.  I love that phrase, "sovereign joy".  Evey time I hear, or think, or read it -- my eyes are immediately drawn to Jesus.  It is canned and trite to say that hard times push us towards Christ, and yet -- it remains true....when all I have is God, when all I see is hope in Him, the tangles of life all come down to the truth that those very tangles are firmly held in the hands of a Loving God; "When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”  And that is true for all of us, as He is the one "we hold fast to in love" and the one "our heart knows best."

Psalm 91


My Refuge and My Fortress

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

A Midnight Prayer

Your Spirit lay me down to sleep-
As needs still hang I cannot meet.
The lonely one that friendless goes
Or searing pain of failure's blows.

And I do fight for peace to rest,
I call to whom my heart knows best.
You take each trial and turn it 'round
Retracing now--the blessing's found.

So limp and worn my aching head
On pillow lies upon this bed
And Prov'dence takes its course true
I whisper thanks for good -You do.